Drift and Resistance: refining models of political recruitment

In this article, which is based on personal interviews with councillors, council candidates, party members and their spouses, we look at the considerations governing recruitment to district and county councils. After criticising some aspects of what we call the classic model of political recruitment, we look in some detail at the resources, opportunities and motivations of potential council members. We identify some differences in patterns of recruitment according to gender and to party. The most important distinction, however, is between those who ‘drift’ into a council position at the suggestion of a party member, and the majority who strenuously resist such persuasion.